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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24075748">the Definitive guide to King Arthur's laughter</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/wordsss/pseuds/wordsss'>wordsss</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Merlin (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Arthur-centric, Court Sorcerer Merlin (Merlin), Golden Age of Camelot, Good Mordred (Merlin), Good Morgana (Merlin), M/M, Post-Canon, id say its a 5 time but its not reallly, idk what else, written in no caps cuz im pretentious like that</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 20:36:17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,297</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24075748</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/wordsss/pseuds/wordsss</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>arthur doesn’t laugh as often as he should, but when he does, he picks from a handful of curated sounds.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>154</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>the Definitive guide to King Arthur's laughter</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>this one's inspired by that one episode in season 4 or 5 where Arthur finds Merlin in a bog after he had been captured by Morgana and he just ran to Merlin, hugged him and just tucked his smile into Merlin's mud-covered neck. u know what im talking abt. there’s a million gifs of that moment.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>arthur doesn’t laugh as often as he should, but when he does, he picks from a handful of curated sounds. there are at least 20 of them, some experts (gwen) claim. others (leon and morgana) believe that 10 is a better estimation. but the one with the definitive answer (merlin) refuses to share the exact number. instead dedicates his time in cataloguing the ones of note for any and all future scholars of arthur’s many expressions and moods. morgana said he would be better of listing the types of scowls, while the expressions gwaine suggests recording would be <i>definitely no use to anyone other than merlin</i> and the knights and mages in training would definitely appreciate a guide on how to avoid arthur’s foul moods– and merlin will definitely get to that– he would just rather start with the laughter.</p>
<p>the most common amongst the laughters is the proper regal laugh of His Majesty, King Arthur of Camelot. it’s a strong sound, powerful with a calculated amount of vulnerability to appease his court. it is most frequently deployed to the ministers, diplomats and nobles with sharp teeth and conniving eyes. it makes merlin a little sad to announce this one as most common, but arthur’s first love has always been camelot. it’s only right that he laughs for her the most. merlin is usually next to arthur when he wields this familiar melody.  he does not turn his head to his king, only keeps his gaze steady as steel. the court sorcerer’s intensity must remind the nobles that the king’s favor has not been won. King Arthur is still untouchable no matter how human he may look, Merlin of Camelot stands as a reminder of that power. </p>
<p>next, there is the soundless laughter arthur bites back. his eyes still shine with mirth and sometimes a snort or two escapes. he often tries to turn it into a cough but ends up sounding like he’s choking. this one merlin does drink in. after all, it is usually him who makes arthur’s kingly facade crack with either a well-timed whispered snip or a face pulled in mockery. it is up to leon to cover up this escaped hint of indignity. both the knight and king send him glares once the blunder has been buried and the attention of the present company directed elsewhere. but there is too much of a smile in arthur’s eyes for leon’s stern words to ever be heeded. merlin grins and leon sighs. the snorts and chuckles continue to pervade banquets and festivals and the thousand other exhausting events the castle must host.</p>
<p>rarer is the second of arthur’s regal laughter. but this one is more genuine, more human, less a tool, more a gift. arthur brandishes this one in front of his people. variations of this sound echoes through the throne room on the days arthur hears petitions. he laughs like this on the days he goes out to spend time with the commoners and lets local children climb on to his back. (gwen and merlin are both frayed with anxiety when arthur refuses to put on or armour or let merlin spell him safe. “if my people are trying to kill me, then i’m doing something wrong. i should at least have the decency to let them try, shouldn’t i?” infuriating and completely illogical. gwen’s tried and failed to convince him that there maybe foreign enemies who make the attempt. clotpole, that he is, refuses to heed her. morgana is the only one on arthur’s side. but she’s all the support he needs.) but arthur’s laughter when he speaks to his people is truly something tender. merlin is still looking into how one man can promise so much–devotion, security, faith, strength–with so small a gesture. elyan argues this laughter shouldn’t get its own category. (“it’s more like 1.b, isn’t it?”) but he is alone on this one, not even percy will back him up.</p>
<p>then, there is the genuine laughter of Arthur the man. it’s a popular one to study among arthur experts. this one is recognized by the way he throws his head back and laughs from deep in his belly. the sound is guttural, uneven and unpracticed. (merlin, on the days he’s feeling mischievous, claims it has leftover hints of an ass’s bray. arthur usually puts his head on an arm lock or threatens the stocks. merlin takes it in stride.) morgana said it may be a recent thing, this kind of laughter. uther and his army of nobles had schooled all the unpolished parts of arthur away by the time the two had met. leon agrees but adds that the knights saw hints of it here and there when arthur dared to be unguarded. it's becoming more and more common as the years go by, merlin is happy to note. it is the 5th year of King Arthur’s rule and Arthur the man seems less burdened as they slowly reform camelot’s governance. merlin is very glad that arthur laughs like this more. it’s such a pure expression of his joy that merlin can’t help join in. it is still rare that arthur laughs like this in public. this kind of happiness is reserved for the roundtable, the knights and the mages, for arthur’s men and for arthur’s family. gwaine makes a mockery of it. lance, percival and elyan join in too often. they all know the value of arthur’s lack of practiced grace. they honor it in the way only the knights know how to. morgana, mordred and the flock of magelings they are training are usually caught off-guard arthur’s laughter. merlin knows that morgana and mordred are still too deep guilt. they never expected to be welcome back to arthur’s family again. morgana tries so hard to act as she would once upon a time but the facade is paper thin. mordred is even more baffled and overwhelmed. the knights teach the knightlings how to act around arthur. but young wizards in training get no such guidance. they too are blindsided by their king. (merlin probably ought to spend more time training them. but he’s too busy being court sorcerer, voice of reason, arthur’s guardian and arthur's keeper.) but he is confident that they'll learn soon enough. however, gwen and lance agree that this is arthur’s best laughter. others have different opinions but all concede that this one is really quite something.</p>
<p>but merlin’s favorite of arthur’s laughters is  a secret one. it’s the kind of laughter only he gets to see. it’s almost shy in the way it manifests. this sound belongs to Arthur the boy. it usually follows the big belly laugh. it peeks through the hiccups arthur can’t stop and tears he won’t shed. he clutches his stomach sometimes, sometimes he doesn’t. he ducks his head, trying to hide like he just can’t help it, like his happiness is too big for his body. he usually tucks his face into merlin’s neck, his whole body nestles closer, as if to let merlin soak up the overflowing joy. the sorcerer in merlin swears there’s something magic in the way arthur keeps on laughing and laughing and laughing, in the way he looks up smiling at merlin when he’s done. merlin feels something in his heart bloom with love. this arthur is just merlin’s and merlin has to kiss him then. he has no choice but to. and even if he did merlin would choose arthur, again and again and again and again. so he can learn and list every little detail about this man. </p>
<p>merlin doesn’t know that arthur has his own catalogue of, merlin’s expressions and moods. But unlike merlin, arthur refuses to share the list even with the closest of their family.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>you know the drill folks. kudos and comments are appreciated. come say hi to me on <a href="www.blackpinkpaladin.tumblr.com">tumblr</a></p>
<p>thanks for reading!! byeee</p></blockquote></div></div>
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